The present invention relates to tables and the like, and in particular to a portable table that is especially adapted for institutional settings such as hospitals, schools, general dining halls, nursing homes, and the like.
Tables are often employed in institutional environments for a variety of different uses such as dining, crafts, and games. These institutions include health care facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, and the like. In these facilities, patients often have wheelchairs, geriatric chairs, and other similar special purpose seats. Separate tables are normally provided to accommodate the additional height required for such chair restricted residents. However, the use of special tables for chair restricted residents tends to segregate patients since chair restricted residents will utilize different tables than non-chair restricted residents. Although some types of fixed height tables are provided with cutout areas in the apron to accommodate wheelchairs, the fixed height is typically at a compromise level that is not entirely satisfactory or comfortable for either the wheelchair patient or the ambulatory resident.
It is preferable that tables in health care institutions have some type of mechanism to adjust the height of the top, so that the table can accommodate all types of users. Preferably, the top is easily raised and lowered while still providing a secure support for the top. High-low adjustment permits residents in wheelchairs and geriatric chairs to be seated with people in conventional chairs at any table they desire in the room. Although high-low adjustment mechanisms have been used on some types of horizontal supports, they are typically quite complex in construction and/or do not provide stable support for the top.
A particularly advantageous high-low adjustment mechanism for a table is disclosed in commonly owned, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,208, entitled VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE WITH RETRACTABLE CASTER ASSEMBLY which issued on May 9, 1989 to Peterson et al. In one embodiment disclosed therein, the high-low adjustment mechanism is utilized on a table including a caster. The caster facilitates manual transporting of the table by a single person of average strength and dexterity with relative ease and safety. The Peterson et al. patent discloses a height adjustment mechanism having a housing including two plates which are attached to a tubular support column using bolts. The bolts clamp the plates to the support column. Although the high-low adjustment mechanism disclosed in the Peterson et al. patent overcomes many of the disadvantages of prior art units by providing a height adjustment mechanism which is stable and easy to operate and install, it remains desirable to provide further improvements in the mounting apparatus associated with the height adjustment mechanism. In some situations, such as during movement of the table, severe twisting and racking forces experienced by the table top are translated through the housing plates and bolts.